Which supplements are good for heart health, which are not?

Health Teknoiot - With a substantial rise in several cardio-metabolic diseases over the years, questions regarding which food supplements to take and which to avoid have become relevant, diet and nutrition being two of the most important factors in causing and preventing several long-term ailments. And it all begins with demolishing the devil called cholesterol.

Cardiometabolic diseases are a variety of common yet preventable ailments, including cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke and metabolic disorders like diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among others. 

These present some of the most serious health challenges for the global healthcare system in the 21st century with cases rising rapidly every year. But research, technology and treatment modules have also evolved at a brisk pace over the years, making the conditions not only curable but also preventable.

Several studies have suggested that diets rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and Type-2 diabetes. On the contrary, diets rich in saturated fat and sodium up the threat quotient. Micronutrients consist of various vitamins and minerals like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which tend to reduce the risk of CVD mortality, heart attacks and other heart diseases due to their anti-inflammatory effect while folic acid decreases the risk of strokes by lowering the blood total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations. 

Being a key family of polyunsaturated fats, Omega-3 fats not only prevent heart diseases and strokes but also help in controlling lupus, eczema and rheumatoid arthritis while playing a major role in cancer and other conditions.

Polyphenols like curcumin, genistein and quercetin have shown health benefits for preventing cardiovascular diseases as well as reducing HbA1c (a measure of longer-term blood sugar levels) and fasting blood insulin levels. 

And although several micronutrients have various health benefits, others like vitamin C, E and selenium have a neutral effect on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. It is also worth noting that Vitamin D reduces oxidative stress and improves cardiometabolic outcomes but still studies have been inconclusive about whether it can prevent heart disease.

In fact, Johns Hopkins researchers say that consuming too much of certain vitamins can be harmful. Too much calcium and vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Nutrients like magnesium play a major role in muscle and nerve functioning. The heart is a muscle which requires a large amount of magnesium to keep the contractions and rhythms going. 

Magnesium supplements are known to boost everyday wellness along with better sleep, increased energy levels and improved mood. These also have specific health benefits like lower blood pressure, reduced risk of heart disease and improvement in migraines.

Prescription fish oils are used but they are more effective, according to Johns Hopkins researchers, for triglycerides than cholesterol. Omega-3 therapy with prescription fish oil can reduce triglycerides by 30 to 50 per cent in those with levels that are at 500 mg/dL or more, and who are at an increased risk of pancreatitis. Besides, over-the-counter fish oil supplements may contain large amounts of other unwanted saturated fats, which could increase your bad cholesterol.

But micronutrients like Beta-carotene, when taken in a supplement form, are known to raise the risk of CVD mortality. Beta-carotene is a precursor of Vitamin-A. The human body converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A when needed. Antioxidants like Beta-carotene, Vitamin C and E help in preventing the cell membrane from weakening, protecting it against rogue compounds trying to get inside. Oxidative damage can indirectly lead to diet-related chronic disease like CVD.

Also, beta-carotene is known to increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases under certain circumstances. For example, if a person consumes higher than normal levels of beta-carotene, it becomes dangerous and can result in higher mortality. 

Also, beta-carotene is known to have a different effect on male and female patients, smokers and drinkers. Another reason could be that it runs the risk of converting into a pro-oxidant and becoming harmful for the body.

As beta-carotene supplements are also linked with an increased risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers, it is suggested that micronutrients should be taken as a whole food instead of a supplement. The human body can have several benefits when nutrients are consumed as a whole food compared to when they are isolated and put into a supplement form.

But as these studies are relatively new and done among a fixed number of people, it is important to characterise specific dosage.

Ref: Indianexpress

5 simple and healthy diet swaps to manage your cholesterol levels

Health Teknoiot - Managing cholesterol is an essential part of maintaining overall health, especially for those who struggle with keeping their numbers in the right place.

Quoted from Boston-based registered dietitian-nutritionist Nikita Kapur told Fox News Digital that high cholesterol can lead to cardio-metabolic risk factors such as heart disease, diabetes and atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque in and on the artery walls).

Heightened LDL levels, also known as "bad cholesterol," can put the body at risk for these complications, which is often genetic but can also be manipulated by diet and lifestyle factors.

"Sometimes we see very stubborn levels of high cholesterol that don't necessarily respond favorably to diet and lifestyle," she said in an interview.

Diet Food/Pixabay

 
"But there are always benefits to focusing on those lifestyle factors."

Kapur, lead dietician at Compass Nutrition, explained that a mindful diet in terms of managing cholesterol first involves incorporating food sources rich in soluble fibers.

These are present in plant foods such as legume beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

"The goal is to improve soluble fiber, which a lot of us don't get these days," she said. "And the recommendations tend to be anywhere from 25 to 30 grams."

Omega-3s and healthy fats found in fish, seeds and oils are also good for lowering cholesterol.

If this seems like a lot to chew on — here are five quick diet swaps to help manage cholesterol levels.

1. Swap sugary cereal for a high-fiber alternative

Instead of reaching for a bowl of Reese’s Puffs, try cereal alternatives that are higher in fiber and lower in sugar.

Kapur encouraged consumers to focus on fiber content and the "quality of carbohydrates" instead of calories.

"Plain, old-school Cheerios we know have very high concentrations of oats," she said.

"And then oats have a lot of beta-glucan and fiber that can be beneficial for reducing cholesterol."

Oatmeal can be another great swap for cereal, as well as high-fiber, sprouted-oats bread.

2. Replace white rice with brown rice

Achieving a cholesterol-conscious diet includes a consistent focus on whole grains.

White rice eaters should try switching to brown rice or other alternatives with a little more nutritional value like farro, barley or quinoa, she suggested.

The whole grain, high-fiber swap can also be done by switching out flour tortillas for corn tortillas or simply leaving the skins on potatoes, which adds more fiber.

Today, she said, "we have a lot of high-fiber packaged products as well, like pastas or breads."

It's important to build a diet that ensures "food is still satisfying" while also not breaking the bank, Kapur added.

"Bean-based pastas and whole grain-based pastas do have more protein," she said.

"But we want sustainable behaviors — so if that's something you have to force yourself to eat, there are other ways to get those benefits."

3. Sub in one plant-based meal

Plant-forward eating is a recent trend, which is a plus for people looking to clean up their diet.

Although some new plant-based food products can be synthetic and heavily processed, Kapur suggested consumers focus on "humble" plant products made of beans, tofu and edamame.

Kapur recommended subbing in one plant-based meal per day to help lower cholesterol.

"If you're someone who is doing eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch and turkey for dinner, that would be a good place to swap and add black beans instead of turkey [for] one meal," she said.


"You still get to eat your animal proteins, but you're making room for those plant nutrients."

4. Try seeds if fish isn’t your thing

While a variety of fish are high in omega-3s — a great resource for keeping bad cholesterol at bay — not everyone is a fish fan.

Kapur suggested swapping fish for various nuts and seeds such as flax, chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as almonds and walnuts.

"They will try to mimic some of that omega-3 profile," she said.

For those who eat fish but can't spend a fortune, Kapur suggested trying smaller fish such as sardines and mackerel, which are more affordable and available at most food stores.

5. Switch regular peanut butter for unsalted, no-sugar-added nut butter

Peanut butter can sometimes get a bad rap in diet discussions, but Kapur said there’s no need to ditch it.

The better option is to swap any kind of nut butter — peanut, almond, sunflower and others — for unsalted and no-sugar-added nut butter.

Maintaining a balanced diet is key, Kapur emphasized — and too much of anything isn’t beneficial to our overall health.

"An easier way to organically focus on making sure that quantity is not an issue is by eating a wide variety of foods, making sure that you are eating consistently and balancing your meals."

"They all matter," she said.

"We don’t want to be fearing the fats we get from nuts and seeds and olives and avocados."

Ref: Foxnews

WHO to use 'mpox' for monkeypox to tackle stigma

Health teknoiot - The World Health Organization said on Monday it would start using a new preferred term, "mpox", as a synonym for monkeypox and urged others to follow suit after receiving complaints that the current name for the disease was racist and stigmatising.

"Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while 'monkeypox' is phased out," the WHO said in a statement.

The WHO launched a public consultation process to find a new name for the disease earlier this year and received more than 200 proposals. The US, which was among the countries and bodies supporting the name change, welcomed the announcement.

monkeypox

"We must do all we can to break down barriers to public health, and reducing stigma associated with disease is one critical step in our work to end mpox," said US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

One of the more popular public suggestions was "mpox" or "Mpox", put forward by men's health organisation RÉZO among others. Its director said at the time that the removal of monkey imagery helped people take the health emergency seriously.

Some ideas were farcical such as "Poxy McPoxface" which alluded to Boaty McBoatface - the choice of a public vote on the name of a British polar research vessel, before a decision to give it another name - Sir David Attenborough.

The WHO said global experts settled on "mpox" after considering the scientific appropriateness, extent of current usage as well as pronounceability among other factors.

Mpox, discovered in 1958 and named after the first animal to show symptoms, mostly spread in a group of countries in west and central Africa until this year.

Around 100 countries where mpox is not endemic have now reported outbreaks of the viral disease.

The WHO has a mandate to assign new names to existing diseases under the International Classification of Diseases.

Generally, it seeks to avoid associating any disease or virus with a country, region, animal or ethnic group.

Last year, it assigned the letters of the Greek alphabet to new coronavirus variants to stop a practice of linking them with specific countries.

Reference: Malaysianow

Unintended Pregnancy May Increase Risk of Postpartum Depression, Study Finds

Health.com - The risk of experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) may be higher in women who give birth resulting from unintended pregnancies, according to a study published in Social Science & Medicine. While women who conceive via fertility treatments may not be at an increased risk, the type of treatment used to conceive may impact outcomes.

The prevalence of PPD, defined as a major depressive episode during the postpartum period, is an estimated 13% in the United States, and the condition can be debilitating to mothers. PPD also affects their children and entire family system, and lately, it has been more directly addressed by medical organizations via policies and recommendations.

Identifying key risk factors is a priority in PPD research and can help shape initiatives for prevention, treatment strategies, or policies and practices related to PPD. Most factors of interest in PPD research are biological, including hormone changes and a genetic predisposition, or contextual, such as mental health history, pregnancy intention, or stress.

Photo illustration by Pixabay

As fertility treatments have been used more often to conceive, determining the risk of PPD with these methods has become important. The study aimed to determine the prevalence in PPD in 4 groups: women who conceived spontaneously and unintentionally, women who conceived spontaneously and were unsure if they wanted to conceive, women who conceived intentionally while using fertility treatments, and women who conceived spontaneously and intentionally.

A secondary aim of the study was to explore the impact of specific fertility treatments— including fertility-enhancing medications prescribed by a doctor only, insemination procedures with use of fertility-enhancing medications, or assisted reproductive technology (ART)—on PPD risk. Research in this context has often focused on the impact of the social experience of infertility and its potential effects on PPD risk.

“Many fertility treatments alter hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen. These alterations are occurring in the preconception period and early in pregnancy,” the authors wrote. “The literature, to our knowledge, has not investigated how these early hormonal manipulations may or may not impact postpartum mental health, and it is unclear whether there are physiological pathways for how they may do so.”

Data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2012-2019), which is a cross-sectional survey given to women throughout the United States who have recently given birth, were used to assess PPD risk across the study cohorts.

A total of 125,702 women in the study sample conceived spontaneously and intentionally; 70,505 had unintended pregnancies; 40,527 were unsure about their pregnancy intention; and 6943 conceived with fertility treatments. Overall, 13.9% of the women in the study sample had symptoms of PPD.

In an adjusted regression analysis, women who conceived unintentionally had higher odds of PPD than those who conceived spontaneously and intentionally (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.26-1.39; P = .01). Those who conceived unintentionally were also more likely to experience PPD vs those who were unsure about their intention to conceive (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.23-1.38; P < .01). However, women who conceived while on fertility treatments were not at higher odds of elevated PPD symptoms (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84-1.10; P = .61).

The analysis of fertility treatment type and PPD outcomes included 2210 women. Fertility-enhancing drugs were used by 31.4% of the group, 14.9% used medicated insemination, and 53.7% used ART. An adjusted logistic regression model showed that women using fertility-enhancing drugs were at a higher risk of PPD compared with those using ART (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.24-3.24; P < .01). Those using medical insemination had similar odds as the ART group.

The findings suggest that pregnancy intention, rather than fertility treatment use or type of fertility treatment, may have the greatest impact on PPD from among the variables considered in the study. The authors note that US reproductive policies making abortion access more difficult may lead to increased rates of PPD, as there is an increase of unintended children carried to term. Screening for PPD, especially in those with unintended pregnancy, is an important step in identifying those who are at an increased risk.

“While the experience of undergoing fertility treatments can be stressful, based on a nonclinical sample of women who recently gave birth in the US, our results suggest that women who conceived with fertility treatments were not at a higher risk of PPD,” the authors wrote. “Women who had unintended and unsure pregnancies were more likely to have elevated PPD symptoms relative to those who had spontaneous, intended pregnancies.”

Reference

Barber GA, Steinberg JR. The association between pregnancy intention, fertility treatment use, and postpartum depression. Soc Sci Med. Published online October 13, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115439

Link reference: AJMC

Indonesia's Sriwijaya Air plane suspected to have crashed with more than 60 on board; search and rescue under way

 A Sriwijaya Air plane was suspected to have crashed on Saturday (Jan 9) with more than 60 people on board, said Indonesian authorities. 

The plane had been en route to Pontianak in West Kalimantan province.

A spokesperson from the Indonesian transport ministry said the commercial flight SJY182 took off at about 2.45pm WIB and was scheduled to land in Pontianak at 4.15pm. 

"The control tower's last contact with the plane was at 3.40pm before the contact was lost," said the spokesperson in an exchange on WhatsApp. 

A flight tracker map showing Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ182 after it took off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (Image: Twitter/Flightradar24)

Sriwijaya Air, which has about 19 Boeing jets that fly to destinations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, told CNA that there were 62 passengers on board, including 40 adults, 7 children, and three infants. A total of 12 airline employees were on the plane including six who were operating the flight.

The head of the national transport safety committee, Soerjanto Tjahjanto, said in a press conference at about 10pm Sunday night that all the passengers were Indonesians. 

"That's why we haven't notified other countries, apart from the US (as the plane was a Boeing)," he said.

Many journalists have flocked to Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta airport where officials have set up a crisis centre. No word if family members of those on board are here too. pic.twitter.com/y2EwkJhszM

— Nivell Rayda (@NivellCNA) January 9, 2021

FlightRadar24 tweeted that the plane had lost more than 10,000 feet of altitude in less than one minute, just four minutes after departing from Jakarta.

The aircraft is a 27-year-old Boeing 737-500, according to registration details included in the tracking data.

A Boeing spokeswoman said: "We are aware of media reports from Jakarta, and are closely monitoring the situation. We are working to gather more information".

SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION 

Surachman, a local government official, told Kompas TV that fishermen found what appeared to be the wreckage of an aircraft in waters north of Jakarta and a search was underway. Other channels showed pictures of suspected wreckage.

"We found some cables, a piece of jeans (sic) and pieces of metal on the water," Zulkifli, a security official, told CNNIndonesia.com.​​​​​​​

Rescue agency official Agus Haryono told Reuters that debris suspected to be from the aircraft was found in the waters north of Jakarta, but did not confirm that it was from the flight. 

In a press conference on Saturday evening, Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said: "At 5.30pm western Indonesian time, the president gave us the order to go all out on the search and rescue operation. Of course Basarnas is on it."

Agus said 50 people were taking part in the search and that they would keep searching into the night.

Basarnas' deputy for search and rescue operations and preparedness, Bambang Suryo Aji, also said in a press conference that teams had been deployed to an area around the Laki and Lancang islands in northern Jakarta, where the plane was believed to have crashed.

Soerjanto said the authorities would interview fishermen who claimed to have seen the plane crashing.

"Whether it's true or not, we'll see tomorrow," he said. 

Several family members have come to Soekarno Hatta airport and were ushered inside. #sriwijayaair pic.twitter.com/PbaXzWnte0

— Nivell Rayda (@NivellCNA) January 9, 2021

Also speaking at the late-night press conference with Soerjanto was transport ministry spokeswoman Adita Irawati, who said that the plane seemed to have deviated from its route shortly before going missing.

The air traffic controller tried to contact the plane but it disappeared just seconds later, she said. 

Television footage showed relatives and friends of people aboard the plane weeping, praying and hugging each other as they waited at Jakarta’s airport and Pontianak’s airport.

Founded in 2003, Jakarta-based Sriwijaya Air group flies largely within Indonesia.

The airline has had a solid safety record until now, with no onboard casualties in four incidents recorded on the Aviation Safety Network database, though a farmer was killed when a Boeing 737-200 left the runway in 2008 following a hydraulic problem.

The Boeing 737 is the world's most-sold family of aircraft and has undergone several makeovers since it entered service in 1968.

The 737-500 is two generations of development before the most recent 737 MAX, which has been embroiled in a worldwide safety crisis following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. It does not use the software system implicated in those crashes.

Nonetheless, experts say planes such as Sriwijaya's leased 737-500 are being phased out for newer fuel-saving models. Civil jets typically have an economic life of 25 years, meaning they become too expensive to keep flying beyond that compared to younger models, but they are built to last longer.

Source: channelnewsasia

Revealed, this is the reason the discovery of the Covid-19 vaccine can be fast

Healthale.com - Advances in technology have led to the discovery of vaccines, including those for Covid-19, to be done faster than in the past.

"In ancient times, of course, you had to get the pure agent first. After that it was reproduced, and then it was only prepared as a vaccine. That took a long time. Today, technology has made it possible for us to do it quickly. There is no need for disease agents anymore and it can be made synthetic, so it can be very fast. In the past, it took a long time to find the seeds. Nowadays it only takes one or two months to find the seeds, "said Prof. Ngurah Mahardika, Virologist at Udayana University, recently.

Prof. Ngurah Mahardika said there are at least four types of vaccines that are differentiated based on their basic ingredients. The first is based on a pure virus that is killed so that it is not harmful to humans, some are based on DNA or mRNA, the third is an adenovirus-based vaccine, and the last is a protein-based vaccine.

"This variety of vaccine bases has advantages and disadvantages, of course, such as the deadly virus-based vaccine currently being tested in Indonesia is the most common type, so the regulations for use are much more concise. Meanwhile, DNA-based and adenovirus-based vaccines do not have examples circulating in the community. the regulation takes a long time, "explained Prof. Ngurah Mahardika.

Although technology is accelerating the discovery of new vaccines, a key factor that should not be ruled out in the procedure is ensuring the level of safety. Basically, vaccine researchers and developers do not compromise on aspects of quality, usability, and safety, including the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine which is to be discovered, must be guaranteed.

Credits: Pixabay

"For the safety aspect, it starts from the pre-clinical phase, which is tested on animals, then Phase I which involves human volunteers, Phase II which involves hundreds of volunteers, and Phase III which involves thousands of volunteers. In all phases, aspects of safety and usability are a concern. It is serious. Especially in Phase III, when it involves thousands to tens of thousands of people, "explained Prof. Ngurah Mahardika.

It doesn't stop there, after being circulated in the community, vaccines will continue to be monitored and contested continuously to ensure the safety of the vaccines in circulation later. It should also be noted that Indonesia is very likely to develop a Covid-19 vaccine independently. However, cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic as it is today is not taboo. The cooperation aims to obtain high-quality data. Researchers and scientists in Indonesia also open domestic study data to contribute to world science and receive positive input from foreign researchers.

"Without cooperation, I think we are capable, but to achieve rapid progress it is deemed necessary by way of cooperation between countries and world science," concluded Prof. Ngurah Mahardika.

In addition to the news that vaccines can be found sooner, other good news comes from the Covid-19 cure rate as of November 1, 2020, which continues to increase. The recovery rate of all Covid-19 cases reached 82.84%. The rate of recovery and completion from isolation increased from the previous week, namely 80.51%. Then tracing and testing as of November 1, 2020, reached more than 4.5 million specimens and many of them were negative.

Keep in mind, #pakaimasker, #jagajarak at least 1 meter, and #cucitangan with soap is still the best preventive measures to date. We need to continue to be disciplined in practicing this 3M step in a package in order to avoid disease

Source: cnbcindonesia

The country finds cases of rare H1N2 swine flu in humans

Canadian health authorities on Wednesday (4/11/2020) reported the first case of humans infected with a rare type of swine flu virus, namely H1N2. The case was detected in the western province of Alberta in mid-October.

"This is the only case of influenza reported in Alberta so far this flu season," wrote the statement quoted from the page South China Morning Post, Thursday (5/11/2020).

The statement said the unnamed patient was experiencing mild influenza-like symptoms. However, it didn't take long after being examined, the patient recovered quickly.

Local health officials said there had not been an increased risk of transmission to residents in the vicinity of the area where the virus was found.

H1N2 swine flu

Since 2005, there have only been 27 cases of people infected with H1N2 in the world. This virus is different from H1N1 which is commonly found in humans.

According to local health officials, this virus cannot be transmitted to humans by consuming meat or products containing pork. This is a rare type of flu in humans.

"This is a rare type of flu in humans. It is usually acquired from exposure to infected pigs and is not known to spread easily from person to person," said Canada's Head of Public Health Theresa Tam via her Twitter account.

Related to this virus, investigations into its origins are still being carried out by Canadian health officials. This is also to ensure that this virus does not spread, spread, and become a transmission cluster.

Source: detikhealth